Petition for Latin Mass in Dallas

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landon13

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Hi y’all,

I don’t know if I am permitted to share a petition on here or not, if not please just delete this post, but I wanted to make you all aware of this petition I have going for more Latin masses to be said in the Diocese of Dallas. There is only one latin mass parish right now for all of the over 1 million Catholics in the Diocese. That parish is 45 minutes away from my house, making it hard for me and my family to attend. If you could help me by signing this petition for Bishop Farrell, that would be awesome.

Thank you all so much and may God bless you all!

Petition
 
landon13 said:
Hi y’all,

I don’t know if I am permitted to share a petition on here or not, if not please just delete this post, but I wanted to make you all aware of this petition I have going for more Latin masses to be said in the Diocese of Dallas. There is only one latin mass parish right now for all of the over 1 million Catholics in the Diocese. That parish is 45 minutes away from my house, making it hard for me and my family to attend. If you could help me by signing this petition for Bishop Farrell, that would be awesome.

Thank you all so much and may God bless you all!

Petition
Click to expand...
I posted this in another thread, but I think it would also help you. Here is a good guide to read, understand, and keep in mind as you spread your petition. 🙂
…if you can’t imagine why you don’t have access to the Traditional Latin Mass in every gosh darn parish in the universe, as of one day after the Pope said you could, or you want to know what has to happen to have one anywhere at all, you should read this.
Click to expand...
Then you should read it again. Slowly.
Click to expand...
manwithblackhat.blogspot.com/…t-have-it.html
 
We petition God in prayer, not Bishops with letters. The Bishop’s obligation is to his sheep, not to democracy. Write your letter to the Bishop as an individual, and pray…leave the rest to God.

Peace and all good!
 
landon13 said:
Hi y’all,

I don’t know if I am permitted to share a petition on here or not, if not please just delete this post, but I wanted to make you all aware of this petition I have going for more Latin masses to be said in the Diocese of Dallas. There is only one latin mass parish right now for all of the over 1 million Catholics in the Diocese. That parish is 45 minutes away from my house, making it hard for me and my family to attend. If you could help me by signing this petition for Bishop Farrell, that would be awesome.

Thank you all so much and may God bless you all!

Petition
Click to expand...
The process you are suggesting is wrong.

Asking for a TLM is done at parish level (not diocese level). You need a stable group in the parish to request the priest to have a TLM.
If he agrees and he is proficient in Latin then it should be no problem.
If he agrees but he is not proficient in Latin and no other priest proficient in Latin can be found then you are stuck.
If he does not agree then you can contact the Bishop.
If he does not agree then you contact Rome.
If he agrees but there is no priest at the parish who is proficient in Latin then you are stuck.
If he agrees and there is a priest in the parish who is proficient in Latin but does not want to have a TLM I believe he must obey the Bishop and have one.

I’m trying to show you that it is not as simple as you might think and please do not think that there are plenty of priests who are proficient in Latin. In many seminaries they don’t even teach Latin at all.
 
thistle said:
Asking for a TLM is done at parish level (not diocese level). You need a stable group in the parish to request the priest to have a TLM.
Click to expand...
This would be too narrow.

It is my understanding that a “stable” group (I presume this means a group which will be committed to attending and financially supporting it) can consist of members from surrounding parishes, up to and including the entire diocese, although in this case there is at least one EF available in the diocese.

As for signatures to petitions, I think many would tell you that they vastly inflate the number of serious seekers of whatever they’re petitioning for. The bishops and priests know this. Late in the 90’s there were over a thousand petitioners in our diocese asking for a TLM. The bishop set one up for once a month; initially there were large attendances but that fizzled to almost nothing after a while. It was basically unsustainable. Under a new bishop several years later, however, the FSSP were invited to the diocese and there are now three EF’s in our diocese. Apparently there were enough “stable” folks to make this possible.
 
I’d gladly drive the 45 minutes, I’m currently 5 hours from a parish with the EF. It’s a sad state of affairs especially considering that we do have a TLM weekly that isn’t in communion with Rome and yet our bishop has stated in the press that there is no desire for the EF in our city. And we’ve had an online petition up for almost 10 years.
 
thistle said:
The process you are suggesting is wrong.

Asking for a TLM is done at parish level (not diocese level). You need a stable group in the parish to request the priest to have a TLM.
If he agrees and he is proficient in Latin then it should be no problem.
If he agrees but he is not proficient in Latin and no other priest proficient in Latin can be found then you are stuck.
If he does not agree then you can contact the Bishop.
If he does not agree then you contact Rome.
If he agrees but there is no priest at the parish who is proficient in Latin then you are stuck.
If he agrees and there is a priest in the parish who is proficient in Latin but does not want to have a TLM I believe he must obey the Bishop and have one.

I’m trying to show you that it is not as simple as you might think and please do not think that there are plenty of priests who are proficient in Latin. In many seminaries they don’t even teach Latin at all.
Click to expand...
This list is lacking in common sense, let alone charity.
People wonder why there is a priest shortage!

If a priest happens to know how to say the TLM, but current pastoral duties (maybe covering 2 parishes, already saying 3 Masses) don’t allow it, that’s not something an appeal to the bishop, or Rome, can fix. The priest is probably “mandated” to do a lot of things he isn’t able to keep up with already.

If a priest knows how to say the Latin Mass, but hates it, would you really want some bishop to force him to offer one for you? I sure wouldn’t.

In any event, there is no real way for you to know if a priest is “able” say a TLM.

Your goal is for priests to be able, and to want to celebrate the TLM. How to get there?
Ask a pastor. If he knows how, but is uncomfortable doing it, maybe it is because in his last parish a mob carrying torches and pitchforks stormed the rectory quoting papal documents that he MUST do it. Let him know your mob is of a different sort. Renew your request 2 years later.

If pastors see those who love the TLM are also patiently working in their parishes, if they see that these laity love their priests, then maybe they will find a way to learn the Latin, to find an opening in their next schedule, etc to make it possible. Same with bishops.
 
If you find a priest who is willing and able to celebrate the TLM, but the pastor of the church that is convenient and architecturally ideal for you isn’t willing to have it there, look for another church. It isn’t worth the battle. Even if you got the bishop to insist on it, which is unlikely, the pastor would be hardened in any prejudices he might have about the TLM. There are ways you might win him over to your side, but going over his head is not one of them. If the congregation felt unwelcome in this church, attendance will decline.

Better to go someplace not as good, if the pastor or chaplain voluntarily allows you. Let people from the congregation plant flowers, do other good activities as a group, so other local clergy learn to respect you. If no local pastor allows you, ask the bishop about convent or institutional chapels that might be available. While you are waiting, start a weekly rosary or other devotional group. Let that group build up a reputation in the diocese, for other kinds of ministry, and evidence of a stable community. Eventually that can be the nucleus of your TLM community. It goes without saying this entire enterprise should be guided by prayer.
 
ProVobis said:
This would be too narrow.

It is my understanding that a “stable” group (I presume this means a group which will be committed to attending and financially supporting it) can consist of members from surrounding parishes, up to and including the entire diocese, although in this case there is at least one EF available in the diocese.

As for signatures to petitions, I think many would tell you that they vastly inflate the number of serious seekers of whatever they’re petitioning for. The bishops and priests know this. Late in the 90’s there were over a thousand petitioners in our diocese asking for a TLM. The bishop set one up for once a month; initially there were large attendances but that fizzled to almost nothing after a while. It was basically unsustainable. Under a new bishop several years later, however, the FSSP were invited to the diocese and there are now three EF’s in our diocese. Apparently there were enough “stable” folks to make this possible.
Click to expand...
The unfortunate thing is that while a “stable group” is required from the parish the Church has not defined “stable group” either in terms of percentage of parishioners or in actual numbers so I don’t know how this part is overcome.
 
commenter said:
This list is lacking in common sense, let alone charity.
People wonder why there is a priest shortage!

If a priest happens to know how to say the TLM, but current pastoral duties (maybe covering 2 parishes, already saying 3 Masses) don’t allow it, that’s not something an appeal to the bishop, or Rome, can fix. The priest is probably “mandated” to do a lot of things he isn’t able to keep up with already.

If a priest knows how to say the Latin Mass, but hates it, would you really want some bishop to force him to offer one for you? I sure wouldn’t.

In any event, there is no real way for you to know if a priest is “able” say a TLM.

Your goal is for priests to be able, and to want to celebrate the TLM. How to get there?
Ask a pastor. If he knows how, but is uncomfortable doing it, maybe it is because in his last parish a mob carrying torches and pitchforks stormed the rectory quoting papal documents that he MUST do it. Let him know your mob is of a different sort. Renew your request 2 years later.

If pastors see those who love the TLM are also patiently working in their parishes, if they see that these laity love their priests, then maybe they will find a way to learn the Latin, to find an opening in their next schedule, etc to make it possible. Same with bishops.
Click to expand...
Have you actually read Summorum Pontificum" issued Motu Proprio Benedict XVI??

Also bear in mind that it is the RIGHT of a stable group of parishioners to request a TLM and if the priest is unwilling then the Bishop is the next contact and if he is unwilling then Rome is to be approached.

As for a priest being “able” to celebrate a TLM that is very easy to know. Either he is proficient in Latin or he is not.

By the way I strongly object to your sarcastic remarks at the start of your post. I will let it go this time but any more and I will report you to the moderators.
 
thistle said:
The unfortunate thing is that while a “stable group” is required from the parish the Church has not defined “stable group” either in terms of percentage of parishioners or in actual numbers so I don’t know how this part is overcome.
Click to expand...
Summorum Pontificum gave any priest of the Latin rite the freedom to say the EF without approval from his bishop. Previously, the Ecclesia Dei I believe, required a “stable” group.

As for Latin, as I and other posters have pointed out on another thread, Canon 249 already requires ALL those in priestly formation to be well-versed in Latin, EF or otherwise.
 
ProVobis said:
Summorum Pontificum gave any priest of the Latin rite the freedom to say the EF without approval from his bishop. Previously, the Ecclesia Dei I believe, required a “stable” group.

As for Latin, as I and other posters have pointed out on another thread, Canon 249 already requires ALL those in priestly formation to be well-versed in Latin, EF or otherwise.
Click to expand...
Actually “stable group” is mentioned in Summorum Pontificum.

I agree, if requested, willing and able, a priest does not need his Bishop’s permission to celebrate a TLM.

I also agree with your reference to canon law on Latin. However, we both know the reality is quite different and many seminaries don’t even teach Latin at all. Why this is not enforced I have no clue.
 
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